2nds Official Swans Academy Thread (Player News and Discussion)

[SwansProudly]

2025 Academy games
Academy Fixture

Rep Footy is back in 2025! - Play AFL

AFL Sydney & AFL Canberra Under 22 Squads Announced Ahead of 2025 Summer Series

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YOUNG BLOODS

A 28 episode TikTok documentary series taking you behind the scenes with the next generation of Aussie Rules players at the Sydney Swans Academy, as eight teenagers chase their dreams of being drafted in the AFL or AFLW.

www.youngbloods.au

Instagram qbesydneyswansacademy
rustycrate

 

[Millky95]

 

[Kiama Chris]

We've often said the mark of success of the Academy is when the graduates turn up at other clubs.

 

[Callipygian]

Perhaps, but thankfully any clubs that might have that inclination (Crows, Hawks and Giants) currently don't have the picks that would be appropriate to bid on our players in proportion to where most scouts are ranking them.

What's most likely is that a club bids on Cleary a little bit earlier than we'd like just for the sake of getting more time on the draft clock to negotiate pick swaps with another club, just as Kinnear (and others) did in the past.

If a club bids on Cleary before pick 25 I think you'd almost have to let him walk because I think there will be much better/complete players available.

Kinnear just needs to spook potential bidders with his signature interview about weighing up all the options and whether or not we rate our own crop highly enough to match a potential bid.

I've said it before but I think Kinnear is just lying in wait for the opportunity to decline to match a bid on an Academy player. We might be sad to let a player go but he'll be pumped to send a message to the other recruiters.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I've said it before but I think Kinnear is just lying in wait for the opportunity to decline to match a bid on an Academy player. We might be sad to let a player go but he'll be pumped to send a message to the other recruiters.

It will be Kinnear's final call but the team will have discussed and had their say about the value of the player in question. I doubt Kinnear ever makes a decision to make a point.

 

[Callipygian]

It will be Kinnear's final call but the team will have discussed and had their say about the value of the player in question. I doubt Kinnear ever makes a decision to make a point.

1. I'm not saying we won't draft these players.
2. I'm not saying KB will decline to match a bid just to send a message to the competition.

I agree that Kinnear is very considered in decisions about whether to match (or make) bids and that they are done lightly. I don't think we have bid for any players we didn't want.

However, I do think that KB would relish the chance call the bluff of a rival who placed a bid that overvalued a Swans Academy player. Our recruiters will have considered what our Academy players are worth and what the cut off point is, and if another club makes an unreasonably early bid KB will pounce on the opportunity to decline to match the bid (albeit possibly with some regret in the case of a player we would have like to draft but not so high).

 

[Kiama Chris]

1. I'm not saying we won't draft these players.
2. I'm not saying KB will decline to match a bid just to send a message to the competition.

I agree that Kinnear is very considered in decisions about whether to match (or make) bids and that they are done lightly. I don't think we have bid for any players we didn't want.

However, I do think that KB would relish the chance call the bluff of a rival who placed a bid that overvalued a Swans Academy player. Our recruiters will have considered what our Academy players are worth and what the cut off point is, and if another club makes an unreasonably early bid KB will pounce on the opportunity to decline to match the bid (albeit possibly with some regret in the case of a player we would have like to draft but not so high).

I think "pounce" may have triggered me a bit.

 

[Membling]

Been doing some reading for future crop and some interesting types:

Scouting Notes: 2023 AFL U16s - Lions Academy vs. Swans Academy

The Lions Academy knocked off the Swans Academy yesterday to move to 2-0 in this year's Under 16 National Championships.

central.rookieme.com

2024

Tom Hitchens
Mid, 187cm

Mitchell Woods
Small fwd/Mid, 179cm
* If he doesn't get a NRL contract I would be shocked. Gun full back too

Joel Cochran
Tall Defender/Ruck | 195cm | 28/03/2006
Cochran reprised his primary role in defence before shifting into the ruck after half time, playing as somewhat of a fourth midfielder there. At 195cm, he can impact aerially but is mobile enough to cover good ground and get involved in open play. He ended up with 24 disposals, five marks, and five rebound 50s

2025
Noah Chamberlain
Tall Forward | 191cm | 21/03/2007

His side’s scoring was well contained for three quarters, but Chamberlain built into the contest to finish with 10 disposals, eight marks, and two second half goals. He was forced to search on leads up the ground and won the war of attrition after half time, as he began to clunk what he flew for before striking the ball nicely with his set shots.

Max King

Multiple players found. Use birthday to differentiate. eg [PLAYERCARD="23/11/1962"]Joe Smith[/PLAYERCARD]

Midfielder | 193cm | 09/01/2007

A midfielder almost as tall as his team’s rucks, King returned another promising performance with 27 disposals, six marks, and seven inside 50s from the engine room. King is just as capable of accumulating on the spread and using his height to take marks around the ground, than he is at shifting gears through traffic on the inside. He got into good spots to launch inside 50 and has a similarly unique inside-outside balance to what Fremantle’s Matt Johnson did at junior level.

 

[noobermensch]

Strong midfield performance from Cleary, winning it at the coalface and spreading to get involved outside the contest. His quick and accurate hands were a feature.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

The outrageously talented team changing the face of the AFL draft​

"The Mark McVeigh

Mark Mcveigh

Age

44

Ht

184cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

11.6

4star

HB

5.5

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.0

5star

No current season stats available

D

18.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

4.8

4star

M

5.6

5star

T

2.0

4star

-coached, 2023 Allies are a different beast, loaded with outrageous talent that will shape the top end of this year’s national draft."

"...hard nut Caiden Cleary, Swans-attached forward Max Ryder, goalsneak Jack Callinan (son of former Crow Ian), plus father-son-eligible Indhi Kirk (son of Brett, who embodied the “Bloods” spirit that carried the Swans to the 2005 flag)."

The outrageously talented team changing the face of the AFL draft

November’s national draft will be shaped by a team that didn’t even exist until 2016. It’s loaded with special talents, one of whom could usurp Harley Reid as the No.1 pick.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Membling]

Scouting Notes: 2023 AFL U16s - Suns Academy vs. Swans Academy

The Suns Academy capped off their 2023 AFL Under 16 National Championships with a 23-point win over the Swans Academy at Southport.

central.rookieme.com

 

[Adnico26Parker]

VIC COUNTRY v ALLIES LIVE FROM 1.15pm

WATCH LIVE: U18 Champs double-header from 10.35am AEST

Nick Watson, Daniel Curtin, Harley Reid and Jed Walter will be among the young stars on show at RSEA Park

www.afl.com.au

ALLIES squad

1 Ryley Sanders
2 Harvey Thomas
3 Caiden Cleary
7 Lachlan Cabor
9 Jake Rogers
11 Phoenix Gothard
13 Jack Callinan
15 James Leake
16 Orlando Turner
19 Jack Glanvill
22 Colby McKercher
25 Jed Walter
26 William Graham
27 Heath Ollington
28 Nicholas Williams
29 Tye Gander
30 Charlie McCormack
32 Arie Schoenmaker
39 Ethan Read
40 Bradley McDonald
41 Connor O'Sullivan
42 Dayne Posthuma
44 Caleb May
10 Leonardo Lombard (emg)
12 William Rowlands (emg)
18 Max Rider (emg)

Looks like Indhi Kirk not playing this week

 

[Membling]

Scrappy start by the Allies this game.

Really like O'Sullivan's game out of defence

 

[Membling]

First qtr from a Swans perspective:

Cabor has been the most prolific I have seen him in these games so far, few nice touches

Cleary, nothing noticeable so far but he just does what he needs to.

May has been good when in the ruck

Rider has not been sighted so far

Edit: forgot Gander... only just sighted now mid 2nd qtr

Looking at prospects:

Liking Wilmot and Sanders game. Sander especially.

Duursma is an X-factor player up forward.

O'Sullivan should be on our radar but may be out of reach of ours or hawks second.

 

[Membling]

Qtr 2:
Cleary - again in and under at the coal face. Foot skills are mid pack but that is not his strength

Cabor - loves to run and carry. Getting disposals but held onto the ball far too long on a couple of instances and got caught

May - good in ruck, not really sighted in the fwd line

Gander and Rider - not a lot to be seen and unsure if rider has been on the ground. Gander has a nice hand ball out to a goal but that is about it

 

[bedford]

Qtr 2:
Cleary - again in and under at the coal face. Foot skills are mid pack but that is not his strength

Cabor - loves to run and carry. Getting disposals but held onto the ball far too long on a couple of instances and got caught

May - good in ruck, not really sighted in the fwd line

Gander and Rider - not a lot to be seen and unsure if rider has been on the ground. Gander has a nice hand ball out to a goal but that is about it

Score ?

 

[Membling]

Score ?

Vic country up
40 - 34

Overall good game. Allies not clean enough in the i50 entries.

Reckon Allies will over run them

 

[DST]

For those wondering where Cleary is going to end up in the draft order, it won’t be outside of the top 20.

He has an amazing capacity to run both ways, is clean with his hands below his knees and just loves all of the hard stuff.

I suspect his leadership credentials are rated highly as well.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Membling]

Allies 68
VIC C 47

Swans:

Cleary had ton of it, 28 odd possies to end of qtr 3. A lot of Parkeresque i50 entries

Cabor - quieter but played within himself this qtr. Hit and miss with possies.

May - good in ruck but played mostly up fwd.

Gander - nice set shot goal and created a bit for allies up fwd

Rider - haven't seen much

 

[Membling]

For those wondering where Cleary is going to end up in the draft order, it won’t be outside of the top 20.

He has an amazing capacity to run both ways, is clean with his hands below his knees and just loves all of the hard stuff.

I suspect his leadership credentials are rated highly as well.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Not sure on that. Reminds me kind of Worpel in his draft year a bit.

I would be very surprised if he went before either of our second rounders

 

[Mister B]

Great goal against the run of play from Turner after Harley Reid got rewarded down the other end after doing a Selwood.

 

[Membling]

Allies 81
Vic C 70

Cleary - industrious again. 36 disposals and 7 tackles. Reminds me of a Worpel/Priddis type of player

Cabor - probably best allies game. Took game on a few times and got caught. Likely Cat B pick at this stage

May - waned in and out and definitepy prefer to be in the ruck. Did not do a lot resting up fwd

Gander - good in a few passages and had a few goal assists but was sparce overall

Rider - unsure if he played

GC got some absolute belters in Walters, Read and Rogers all potential top 20 picks. Even top 15

Mckercher and Sanders will be top 10

Vic Metro
H Reid show glimpses but did not look the stand out pick 1 by any stretch. Archer Reid looked brilliant, Duursma is an X factor player like Rozee.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Interesting game. Great to see the Allies stick it right up ‘em.

Harley Reid had an average game for a touted Number 1 pick.

The GoCo FF well ahead imv.

Cleary again showed he is a solid inside mid.

 

[robbieando]

Rider - unsure if he played

He was a named Emergency

 

[Membling]

He was a named Emergency
View attachment 1733218

Ah, good.

Cause otherwise he was completely non-existant

 

[Adnico26Parker]

There is an article in Newscorp today on the Allies' undefeated 2023 championship:




I thought this was an interesting quote from coach Mark McVeigh

Mark Mcveigh

Age

44

Ht

184cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

11.6

4star

HB

5.5

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.0

5star

No current season stats available

D

18.4

5star

K

13.6

5star

HB

4.8

4star

M

5.6

5star

T

2.0

4star

:

"I haven't treated them like they're kids, I've treated them like they're men," McVeigh said.

"They want to play like that because next year they'll be asked to do that, wherever that might be. That's not just AFL, they could play in the SANFL or WAFL

"But I've talked about what we want to stand for and how we want to be perceived. Hopefully in the years to come, whoever it is, goes, 'This is how the Allies play'."